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Last summer I got extremely lucky and won a pair of Wulf and Supply sunglasses on a IG competition, who said those don’t work :). I had been eyeing those sunglasses for some time before the competition as I absolutely loved the idea behind them and that they were sustainable and made of natural materials.They are also doing some proper good, they are part of One Tree Planted organization, so with every purchase one tree gets planted.

And it was nice to know that there’s a company in Finland, in the North, in Oulu that makes products like these. And that the people behind it are young and full of passion for doing something new.

Now they have loads of new products outside of only sunglasses, like jewelry, socks and ties. So you should really check them out!

About my glasses, I chose a pair of Aino glasses, that have a classic style and are timeless. Probably my favorite thing about them is that they feel like nothing on, almost weightless. The material is certified rose wood which is beautiful. When ordering you can choose from two different lenses, I chose the grey ones to get that classic feel.

Photo Jasmin Helmi

Here’s a little interview about the brand with the guy behind it, Vili Huovinen.

Where did the idea for Wulf came about? / How did Wulf started?

I got the idea for Wulf years ago. When I was just a kid, I coded nice looking websites with my computer and dreamed to launch this store someday. Now I’m studying business at University of Applied Sciences, I had finally all the knowledge to start my own shop. After making this decision I started to look products for my shop. It was a nice sunny day and the sun was dazzling my eyes, I started to think that we need some nice looking, comfortable to use and environmental friendly shades. And the product was found! The wooden sunglasses is a big thing these days and people are concerned about environment, so these shades were perfect for me.

Where the name for the brand came from?

Name was a little bit tricky one. I thought it a while, but without any good options. Then I called to my friend and told her that what i’m going to do and that I don’t have any good name ideas! “I don’t have any good name alternatives!” . Then my friend told me that the name should be something about me. Then I had it! Wulf is generated from my nick name. And because of the northern spirit wolf was a best choice for our brand image.

How important being sustainable and ecological is for your brand? Tell about what steps you and the producer of the glasses do to be good to the nature.

It’s everything! We are eager to sell best quality handmade wooden products and quality textiles. In our products we have been taken into account sustainability and environmental friendliness. And for the packing and product materials we want to minimize the burden on natural resources. This state of mind controls the whole operation of the company.

We are producing our glasses in China for now. Our manufacturer is also doing everything to minimize all the burden on natural resources. Example painting the products has special equipment that to prevent the paint to get touch with nature. And we use eco-friendly paint of course. They also has good wages and working conditions for the staff. Our manufacturer is small and liable. They have high standards for products and manufacturing them. We are also co-working with few carpenters to produce these products in Finland, but manufacturing requires special equipment that are pretty pricey. But we do our best to bring manufacture process to Finland.

Photo Jasmin Helmi

Was it hard to find a producer for your glasses?

Yes it was little bit tricky one. We have few rival companies in Finland and some of them use this same manufacturer. Of course we tried few other manufacturers as well, but this one is the winner with quality and liabilities.

What would you want people to think when they think of your brand?

High quality and environmental friendliness in a cool package.

What are your brand values?

Respect for nature

Best customer service = happy customers

We want you to love our products as much as we do!

Where do you see your brand in 5 years or wish for it?

I hope we got good retail network in Finland in few years. And we want to expand into clothes, we are going to launch “made in Finland” shirts in near future.

And for our internationals, is it possible to order your glasses outside Finland?

Of course! We got international shipment, and it’s free for over 15€ orders for now! Please be free to check our websites and check out our collection!

It’s taken me some time to come to terms with who I am right now, and how much I love the Me right now. It’s weird feeling, I’ve never felt this good with all of me and my life in general before. I’ve always yearned and hoped and wished for this kind of feeling and now I have exactly that in my life, made by me. I really feel that I’m giving myself a chance to really embrace who I am right now, no apologies or anything. Me.

Before I wrote a lot here, I journaled all that I was going through, I felt that it was the best way to get it all out. And for a long time it was, it was who I was and could stand behind with no hesitation. But lately, more so this year, I’ve felt that I want to take a step back with it all, with all that’s been in my life. I needed to quiet down my life, in all areas, to find who I am and be okay with all of it.

I’ve been about the less is more life for couple of years now, in a way searching what it means to me. And I’m on that path still but found out what it really is right now. I’ve read a lot, which means that I’ve learned a lot, and that has helped me with how I feel about certain issues and what I personally want to do to them in my life.

One thing that was massively important to me when I moved to my own place, was to be able to fully be the one who decides what products to use around the apartment. I remember the day I got the keys and went to buy some cleaning products and how happy it made me to be able to choose the ones I wanted, the ones that are cleaner and at least a bit better for the nature. Sometimes it’s that simple of a thing that can spark your being slowly back to it’s “who am I?” gear to the right direction.

I’ve also really started to think more about the food I am eating and what it does to me, but also a lot of what it does the environment. I’ve noticed that when I live alone, I tend to go back to my vegan ways. I’ve been pretty much vegetarian for a long time, but sensing how I want to go back to those ways that truly felt the best for me and my body. And that are truly the best for the world too. A thing that is important to me, as I feel that why should any animal suffer in any way for my satisfaction when it’s not really even doing that. I feel better and I’m not harming any one while choosing this, a win – win situation.

Back when I originally started my journey to better health, especially mental health and finding ways to feel better as a whole, it was a selfish want that sparked it all. It was because I felt and was overweight and didn’t like how I looked and how that made me feel. That was the root reason for my want to change. As the time has gone by, I’ve gone from one end to another and back again and to this. But what has changed that I know more, and it’s getting harder and harder to just push the knowledge to the side and keep going like it doesn’t exist. They say that ignorance is a bliss, and in a way it is, but at what cost. I’ve been asking myself that a lot this summer. It’s really easy to be selfish and only think of your own happiness.

I think my less is more mentality has grown to take over all areas of my life, and it feels really good. I find that when I calm my life down to a level where I am strong enough to really say what I want and don’t want, to make those hard decisions without doubt in me, then I get closer and closer to my true self. I’ve started to question my decisions in a whole new way and found answers that I didn’t think I would have the courage to say even to myself. If I’ve always been honest, I’ve really been honest to myself now.

I can say that it’s one of the best feelings in the world when you are completely happy with your life and You. Like I said, I’ve wanted this moment or feeling in my life my whole life, but I’ve also been afraid of who that me really is and how it all could really feel.

This is all a funny tangle of things, but it basically all comes down to me enjoying life in the simplest of ways. I absolutely love being on my own and just read or watch interesting documentaries or movies or some ridiculous reality show. I love that I don’t feel anymore that there’s something wrong with me needing that much time alone, because I’ve felt for so many years that there was something wrong with me. That me being really sensitive is a fault in me, when it’s actually a strength.

For me right now living and enjoying my life in the simplest of ways means that I choose to buy foods that are organic and good for me and the environment, to challenge myself in finding ways and products in all areas of my life to be cleaner, to get rid of all that I truly don’t need and keeping my home simple and uncluttered.

I want to challenge myself in ways that I haven’t before and take myself further in the search of Me.

Right now for example, I am challenging myself to find clothing brands that are sustainable and ethical, while maintaining the style I’ve come to feel Me. I’m not going to buy any fast fashion anymore, the only things I’m still “allowed” to buy outside of this challenge are underwear and certain sports items, if I really can’t find alternatives to them. The thing is that I’ve bought so little clothes this year that where I’m starting is situation that I actually need new clothes, but I rather keep wearing the ones I have now than buy something that doesn’t feel right. And I’ve noticed that the less you cave in the less you feel the need. I’m happy that my general style is very simplistic and classic in a way and that I rarely feel like I want to jump to different hype styles. But the main thing in this challenge is that I want to show myself that having this style is possible in ethical and sustainable way too.

I strongly feel that it’s good to consider the whole picture of our actions and not just what feels the best for you. I’ve found myself thinking a lot that if it’s important to me that I use clean skin and hair care products, and eat clean food, then why don’t I only buy clothes with the same mindset or all else we need in our lives. I don’t think that it can’t be a whole “deal” and that you need to be without something because of this mindset. I think it’s just more about finding ways to make it work. And right now, I want to challenge myself with it and show that I can do it.

What this all really boils down to is Me feeling better and better with less is more as a whole life mindset. Being 100% okay with who I am and not being uncomfortable to face my fears or insecurities. Loving the life I am living right now and not thinking jealously that why is someone else having this or that and why am I here just being bitter of their success.

I’ve found ways to find more peace in my life, from meditating every morning, to eating cleaner, being extra gentle to myself in this once again new chapter of my life, being active in a calm way, learning more by reading and really tackling that as it is a thing I absolutely love.

I’m happy that I don’t have to be the same person I was couple of years ago, that would be sad and also impossible. I am happy that I’ve gone through a lot of heartbreak and struggles, because that’s why I am the Me I am right now. What I can do now, is to live my life the way I really want to, not saying I’m sorry in every turn, setting boundaries with what feels right and what wrong and standing with them strong. I know that not all of my decisions will make some people in my life happy, but I have to put myself first and think of my own wellbeing as my number one goal. Because when I feel good with myself, I am able to be more to others and to this world.

You’ll be seeing this new challenging chapter here too, hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I do.